WIMBLEDON TARGETS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3270, 24 December 1881, Page 2

WIMBLEDON TARGETS.

fTo the Editoe or the Daily Tsleobapli.] Sir,—ln a recent issue you stated that the Hawke's Bay Rifle Association for the first time in this district would use Wimbledon targets at their meeting on Monday next. This is not quite correct, as they have been used by the Waipawa Rifle Club for the last twelve months. Although, owing to the want of funds, they are rather roughly constructed, yet we find they answer admirably, and are far preferable to the iron targets. A ditch seven feet deep has been formed, and in this are fixed two upright posta thirteen feet from the bottom of the ditch. At the top of each post there is inserted a pulley, over which a chain works, which is attached to a frame (6 feet square) half in front and behind the uprights. A canvas target is tacked on to each frame, and as one target ia raised from the ditch the other descends and takes its place—the one being a counterpoise of the other, and reducing the labour of raising and lowering to a minimum. The hit is marked upon the clean target with the disc, and a piece of paper (white or black as the case may be) is pasted over the bit. One good marker can work the targets faster than any marksman can fire. The frames and pulleys, &c, are protected from bullets by three narrow plates of iron placed at an acute angle, one at each side, and one across the top. The small 4x4 targets are attached to the frames by strings, and are removed for the long ranges and replaced by the big targets. The great advantage in this system is the complete protection of the marker, who is never exposed in any way—the top of the ditch is roofed with corrugated iron to protect him from any possible splash from a stray bullet that may strike the iron frame, and every hit upnn the target itself goes through the mound at the back. We use the round bull's-eye, which, according to Wimbledon regulations, counts 5 points, an inner counting 4, magpie 3, and outer 2. Our enterprising secretary —Mr Chicken—would no doubt give fuller particulars to any of your readers who might like to have them.—-I am, &c., A Member of the Club. Waipawa, December 23,1881.